In the late 1980's, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners recognized the benefit of involving minority enterprises in County procurements. This resulted in the development of the Franklin County Minority Procurement Program. This program was designed to set targets for minority business enterprise participation in County contracts and procurements. The program evolved to include female and most recently disadvantaged businesses enterprises. Since establishment of the program, legislation and court cases have changed the course of these types of programs. Currently, programs may not set goals or set aside procurements. The programs can be focused on outreach to businesses, informing them of procurement opportunities, structuring bid documents to ensure small businesses can compete, educating, and encouraging their participation in County procurements.

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners recognizes the benefit of competing business opportunities in Franklin County. It also recognizes that greater numbers of minority, female, and disadvantaged businesses constitute a significant portion of small and emerging businesses in Franklin County. To ensure opportunities are afforded to small and emerging businesses, the Board established a Small and Emerging Business Outreach Program. This program is a commitment to the small and emerging business to encourage competition and provide and even playing field for all businesses.

A small and emerging business is defined as a business concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated. It is not dominant in its field of operation because it does not exercise a controlling or major influence on other comparable business operations in Central Ohio. Dominance is determined by several factors including but not limited to volume of business, number of employees, financial resources, and the nature of business activity.

The Director is responsible for overseeing the administration of the program in a race and gender neutral manner through the Small and Emerging Business Coordinator and the Purchasing Division assigned to the Purchasing Department. The Purchasing Director will ensure:

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners supports all businesses participating in the County Procurement process. This outreach program was implemented by The Board of Commissioners in an effort to ensure small and emerging businesses are afforded the opportunity to do business with Franklin County.

The purpose of the Small and Emerging Business Program is to improve and enhance the competitive and non-competitive bid process within Franklin County in order to provide small and emerging businesses the opportunity to do business. For additional information email: